We were lucky to catch up with Bronwyn LeAnne recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bronwyn, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Do we ever really overcome imposter syndrome? This is something I still struggle with to this day, no matter how long I have been in the business or who I have worked with. When I started doing makeup at the age of 19 I landed a job at the Christian Dior counter, which was not easy to do. I remember taking it all in and always feeling like it was a dream. Years later when I applied and got a job with MAC Cosmetics, which is even harder to do, I could not believe it. Fast forward to where I am now after over 13 years of being a makeup artist and I still have to overcome imposter syndrome from time to time. It is not because I do not think I deserve where I am or feel like I am talented enough because I know I am, I think it simply comes from a humble place in my heart. I will never forget the little girl who always dreamed of being a makeup artist and I think she is just always there to remind me that you should never forget where you come from no matter what. Now, I have done makeup for celebrities, magazines, runway, major events and fashion weeks, worked on music videos with big artists, and even worked with some of the top directors and producers in the industry but I still have to remind myself that I am where I am today because of all the hard work I put in, along with my skill. I remember booking a job a few months ago and it was working with some of the production team from Modern Family. I actually asked if it was legit and if there could be any proof because it felt so unreal. It was very real and turned out to be an incredible music video and one of the best sets I have ever worked on. Even as I sit here today looking at all my emails, PR packages, and bookings, I know I still have a long way to go to let go of imposter syndrome but honestly, I am not sure if it will ever go away. Maybe that is okay… Maybe it is not a bad thing to have it. I know I am a perfectionist when it comes to my work, I love to please others and a huge part of my business is making others not only feel their best but I want the entire team to enjoy working with me and that is HUGE for me. I think many of us feel this way from time to time. The best way I overcome those moments is to keep a positive mindset, always be proud of my accomplishments and recognize my successes, and make a plan for my career goals and stick to them. I just stay focused as much as possible and when I do have these imposter syndrome moments, I stay kind to myself.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a Professional Makeup Artist for over 13 years. I started doing makeup at a very young age and over the years my career grew from department stores to salons, to freelance. I currently run my own business full-time as a freelance makeup artist. I truly love what I do because makeup has always been a huge passion of mine. It isn’t only about making someone feel “beautiful” but it is much deeper than this for me. I want people to feel something on every level. I want people who work with me to walk away feeling truly cared for both physically and emotionally. What I feel makes my career so exciting and special is that I offer something for everyone. About three years ago I started having health issues out of nowhere. I had a positive ANA blood test which usually means an autoimmune disease. Although I have been seeing specialists non-stop since then, we can not seem to figure out exactly what is wrong with me. I battle my body attacking different areas at a time and some days it is very hard to even function but I always push through the pain because I love my life too much to let anything stop me. When I discovered my health issues I started to look into the makeup I was using and skin care. I was shocked to see how many companies had very toxic ingredients in their products. I am already vegan but I decided to take it one step further and offer a completely clean beauty and skin care kit for a lot of my clients. Now, I have something for people like myself with autoimmune issues, sensitive skin, and so much more. On top of this, I also offer special effects makeup. So when I say I have something for everyone and every job, I literally do haha. I do everything from weddings to music videos and films. Although the music industry has my heart and working on set on music videos and band shoots is my favorite, I love dipping my hands into everything. I recently got hired to do makeup for an event called, “Survivor Prom”. This is an event to honor all the adults who went through traumatic years and missed out on their prom and having a normal teenage life. I will admit, it will be hard to do makeup for that event without crying. My business is not just about makeup but it is about me as a person. Everyone I have worked with means something to me. I always make sure to make others around me feel their very best and walk away knowing how much I care. I treat each job this way.
I do have some new and incredible things coming up very soon with my business that I would love to share with all of you. I will be finishing my esthetician license soon and will be launching my own line of clean skincare that will include facial oils, oil cleansers, and body creams. I will also be starting a podcast called, “Pulchrify” which means to beautify. I have really focused this year on expanding my business in as many ways as possible.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
When I look back on my journey, there are three important qualities and skills that I feel were impactful in my career and helped get me to where I am today. The first one and probably the most important to me is staying true to myself as a person and in my career. I learned very early on in my career that there are many people who want you to be something you aren’t. I was pressured into jobs that I wasn’t comfortable doing or having to change my appearance to please others. It is hard, especially in the beauty industry to not get wrapped up in what you feel others want you to be. I would compare myself to other artists and change how I dressed or did my makeup and pushed a lot of my morals and beliefs aside for work. Over time this drained me and caused me to be very unhappy. Over time I learned to love myself and to know that what I have to offer is enough. I focused only on working with vegan and cruelty-free companies and using only those products. I focused on the skills I had that made me a stronger artist and quit being so hard on myself. I promised to stay true to who I was as a person and an artist and ever since then my career has never been better. The second quality or skill is time management. You have to stay consistent in all areas to grow your business. I have to make sure I block out time every day to check my social media and create content. I have to follow up on emails and calls, check my website for bookings, schedule trials and meetings, cleaning brushes and my kit, literally every aspect of my job and career depends on me using my time wisely. If you want to be successful I believe time management is incredibly important. Also, ALWAYS make sure you block out time for yourself as well. Burning out is also never good for yourself or your business. The third skill or quality I find important and impactful is education. Over the years I have been trained through a few incredible cosmetic companies but the trends are always changing in the beauty industry and I feel in order to always be able to offer the best and top services to your clients, you need to continue the education and refine your skills. I am currently back enrolled in school to get my Esthetician license, that way I can offer more to my clients. I find this to be very important.
If I can offer any advice to someone who is early on in their journey, that would be to stay true to yourself both personally and in your career, focus on your time management skills, always put yourself out there to make amazing connections, and always be learning and engaging! You never know where your life or career can take you but you can handle everything as long as you are prepared and you never give up! You only fail if you stop trying.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
In the past six months, I have shifted my career to focus more on the music industry and film. I am looking to collaborate with directors, producers, bands, musicians, and actors. I have experience doing makeup for music videos and short films and I love it so much. I am looking to do more jobs based around the music industry, even doing makeup for band photoshoots and concerts. I also do special effects makeup and would love to collaborate on horror films or work on any event where special effects are involved.
You can connect with me through my Instagram @bronwyn.pulchrify, my email bronwynleannemua@gmail.com or through my website www.bronwynleanne.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bronwynleanne.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/bronwyn.pulchrify/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwynleannemua/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYVmln-EnCmOLFsEjclgTnA
Image Credits
Lisa Marie Hoelstad
